1712, always in Rebellions and Tumults while they had the No. 495. Temple and Holy City in View, for which Reason they Saturday have often been driven out of their old Habitations in the Sept. 27 Land of Promise: They have as often been banished out of most other Places where they have settled, which must very much disperse and scatter a People, and oblige them to seek a Livelihood where they can find it. Besides, the whole People is now a Race of such Merchants as are Wanderers by Profession, and, at the same Time, are in most if not all Places incapable of either Lands or Offices, that might engage them to make any Part of the World their Home, This Dispersion would probably have lost their Religion, had it not been secured by the Strength of its Constitution: For they are to live all in a Body, and generally within the same Enclosure, to marry among themselves, and to eat no Meats that are not killed or prepared their own Way. This shuts them out from all Table Conversation, and the most agrecable Intercourses of Life; and, by Consequence, excludes them from the most probable Means of Conversion, If, in the last Place, we consider what providential Reason may be assigned for these three Particulars, we shall find that their Numbers, Dispersion, and Adherence to their Religion, have furnished every Age, and every Nation of the World, with the strongest Arguments for the Christian Faith, not only as these very Particulars are foretold of them, but as they themselves are the Deposi taries of these, and all the other Prophecies which tend to their own Confusion. Their Number furnishes us with a sufficient Cloud of Witnesses, that attest the Truth of the old Bible. Their Dispersion spreads these Witnesses through all Parts of the World. The Adherence to their Religion, makes their Testimony unquestionable, Had the whole Body of Jews been converted to Christianity, we should certainly have thought all the Prophecies of the old Testament, that relate to the Coming and History of our Blessed Saviour, forged by Christians, and have looked upon them, with the Prophecies of the Sybils, as made many Years after the Events they pretended to foretell. IV. F Monday No. 496, No. 496. Monday, September 29. Gnatum Monday, [STEELE.] T -pariter uti his decuit aut etiam amplius, Quod illa aetas magis ad haec utenda idonea est. 'Mr. SPECTATOR, -Terent. Heaut. A. 1 Sc. 1. HOSE Ancients, who were the most accurate in their Remarks on the Genius and Temper of Mankind, by considering the various Bent and Scope of our Actions throughout the Progress of Life, have with great Exactness allotted Inclinations and Objects of Desire par ticular to every Stage, according to the different Circumstances of our Conversation and Fortune, thro' the several Periods of it. Hence they were disposed easily to excuse those Excesses which might possibly arise from a too eager Pursuit of the Affections more immediately proper to each State: They indulged the Levity of Childhood with Tenderness, overlooked the Gayety of Youth with good Nature, tempered the forward Ambition and Impatience of ripened Manhood with Discretion, and kindly imputed the tenacious Avarice of old Men to their Want of Relish for any other Enjoyment. Such Allowances as these were no less advantagious to common Society, than obliging to particular Persons; for by maintaining a Decency and Regularity in the Course of Life, they sup ported the Dignity of humane Nature, which then suffers the greatest Violence when the Order of Things is inverted; and in Nothing is it more remarkably vilified and ridiculous, than when Feebleness preposterously attempts to adorn it self with that outward Pomp and Lustre which serve only to set off the Bloom of Youth with better Advantage. I was insensibly carried into Reflections of this Nature, by just now meeting Paulino (who is in his Climacterick) bedeck'd with the utmost Splendour of Dress and Equipage, and giving an un bounded Loose to all Manner of Pleasure, whilst his only Son is debarr'd all innocent Diversion, and may be seen frequently solacing himself in the Mall, with no other Attendance, than one antiquated Servant of his Father's, for a Companion and Director, It is a monstrous Want of Reflection, that a Man cannot No. 496. consider that when he cannot resign the Pleasures of Life Monday, in his Decay of Appetite and Inclination to them, his Sept. 29, Son must have a much uneasier Task to resist the Impetuosity of growing Desires. The Skill therefore should methinks be, to let a Son want no lawful Diversion, in proportion to his future Fortune, and the Figure he is to make in the World. The first Step towards Virtue that I have observed in young Men of Condition that have run into Excesses, has been that they had a Regard to their Quality and Reputation in the Management of their Vices. Narrowness in their Circumstances has made many Youths to supply themselves as Debauchees, commence Cheats and Rascals. The Father who allows his Son to his utmost Ability, avoids this latter Evil, which as to the World is much greater than the former. But the con trary Practice has prevail'd so much among some Men, that I have known them deny them what was meerly necessary for Education suitable to their Quality, Poor young Antonio is a lamentable Instance of ill Conduct in this Kind. The young Man did not want natural Talents; but the Father of him was a Coxcomb, who affected being a fine Gentleman so unmercifully, that he could not endure in his Sight, or the frequent Mention of one, who was his Son growing into Manhood, and thrusting him out of the gay World. I have often thought the Father took a secret Pleasure in reflecting, that when that fine House and Seat came into the next Hands, it would revive his Memory, as a Person who knew how to enjoy them, from Observation of the Rusticity and Ignorance of his Successor. Certain it is, that a Man may, if he will, let his Heart close to the having no Regard to any Thing but his dear Self, even with Exclusion of his very Children. I recommend this Subject to your Considera tion, and am, Sir, Your most humble Servant, 1712. T. B.' 'Mr. No. 496, 'Mr. SPECTATOR, London, Sept. 26. 1712. I am just come from Tunbridge, and have since my Return read Mrs. Matilda Mohair's Letter to you: She pretends to make a mighty Story about the Diversion of Swinging in that Place. What was done, was only among Relations; and no Man swung any Woman who was not second Cousin at farthest She is pleased to say, Care was taken that the Gallants tied the Ladies Legs before they were wafted into the Air. Since she is so spiteful I'll tell you the plain Truth; There was no such Nicety observed, since we were all, as I just now told you, near Relations; but Mrs. Mohair her self has been swung there, and she invents all this Malice because it was observed she has crooked Legs, of which I was an Eye Witness. 'Mr. SPECTATOR, Your humble Servant, Rachel Shooestring.' Tunbridge, Sept. 26. 1712, We have just now read your Paper containing Mrs. Mohair's Letter. It is an Invention of her own from one End to the other; and I desire you would print the enclosed Letter by it self, and shorten it so as to come within the Compass of your Half-Sheet. She is the most malicious Minx in the World, for all she looks so innocent. Don't leave out that Part about her being in Love with her Father's Butler, which makes her shun Men; for that is the truest of it all. P. S. She has crooked Legs,' 'Mr. SPECTATOR, Your humble Servant, Sarah Trice, Tunbridge, Sept. 26, 1712. All that Mrs. Mohair is so vex'd at against the good Company of this Place is, that we all crooked Legs. This is certainly true, putting my Name, because one would Power of the Creature, know she has I don't care for not be in the Your humble Servant unknown.' Mr 'Mr. SPECTATOR, Tunbridge, Sept. 26. 1712. No. 496. That insufferable Prude Mrs. Mohair, who has told Sept. 29, Monday, such Stories of the Company here, is with Child, for all 1712. her nice Airs and her crooked Legs. Pray be sure to put her in for both those two Things, and you'll oblige every Body here, especially T No. 497, Your humble Servant, Alice Bluegarter.' Tuesday, September 30, Οὗτός ἐστι γαλεώτης γέρων.--Menander, FAVOUR well bestowed, is almost as great an A Honour to him who confers it as to him who receives it. What indeed makes for the superiour Reputa tion of the Patron in this Case, is, that he is always surrounded with specious Pretences of unworthy Candi dates, and is often alone in the kind Inclination he has towards the Well-deserving. Justice is the first Quality in the Man who is in a Post of Direction; and I re member to have heard an old Gentleman talk of the Civil wars, and in his Relation give an Account of a general Officer, who with this one Quality, without any shining Endowments, became so peculiarly beloved and honoured, that all Decisions between Man and Man were laid before him by the Parties concern'd in a private Way, and they would lay by their Animosities im plicitly if he bid them be Friends, or submit themselves in the Wrong without Reluctance, if he said it, without waiting the Judgment of Court-marshals. His Manner was to keep the Dates of all Commissions in his Closet, and wholly dismiss from the Service such who were deficient in their Duty, and after that took Care to prefer according to the Order of Battle. His Familiars were his entire Friends, and could have no interested Views in Courting his Acquaintance; for his Affection was no Step to their Preferment, though it was to their Reputation. By this Means a kind Aspect, a Salutation, a Smile, and giving out his Hand, had the Weight of what is esteemed by |